16 solidi (Arcadius, 6; Honorius, 9 (1 plated copy); Constantine III, 1). `A total of five late Roman gold solidi and one plated imitation of a solidus were found by Mr M J Cuddeford while searching with a metal detector on a ploughed field in the parish of Good Easter, Essex, about 6 miles north–west of Chelmsford. The first coin (no. 2) was discovered by Mr Cuddeford in February 1992 and Mr Cuddeford found a further 5 coins while searching on the same field in 1993. The coins were found scattered over an area some 70 metres square; no trace of a container was found. They were declared Treasure Trove at an inquest held on 19 May 1993, and were subsequently acquired by Chelmsford Museum Service.' R Bland, CHRB X, p. 482. `Addenda of six gold solidi were recovered from the site of the Good Easter hoard by Mr M. J. Cuddeford while searching with a metal detector in 1998. A further two solidi were found in September 2001, October 2002 and August 2003. This brings the total to 16 solidi, including one plated imitation in the original find. The Lyon solidus of Constantine III (RIC X: 1505) is a particularly noteworthy find, slightly amending the closing date (the four G’s in the reverse legend indicates striking prior to the death of Arcadius in 408), and considerably increasing the importance of the hoard. No gold of Constantine III occurred in the Hoxne hoard; the Anne Robertson Inventory lists only two British hoards, Stanmore and Eye (RBCH 1619 & 20), both found in 1781 and long dispersed, but which were said to have each contained at least one example. On the continent, the most prolific find of Constantine III gold comes from a hoard of 188 solidi found in 1754 at Menzelen, Germany which apparently included at least 33 examples. The finder generously waived his share of the reward and the coins have been acquired by Chelmsford Museum Service.' Report by Richard Abdy. Two coins (nos. 15 and 16) are illustrated in M Cuddeford, `Spotlight on Finds', Treasure Hunting December 2006, p. 73 (`Two unusual Roman solidi'). Hobbs 2006, 1508; CHRB XII. AD 394-402 (11)
1.-4. Arcadius, rev.: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Emeror. stg. r., in field, M D; in exergue, COMOB, RIC IX Milan 35(b) = RIC X 1205, 4.47g + 3 more (1205a, 2; 1205d, 1)
5.-11. Honorius, rev.: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Emperor stg. r., in field, M D; in exergue, COMOB, RIC IX Milan 35(c) = RIC 1206, 4.46g, 4.46g, 4.48g + 4 more (1206a, 1; 1206c, 1; 1206d, 1; 1206, 1)
AD 402-6 (3)
12.-13. Arcadius, rev.: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Emp. stg. r., in field: R V; in exergue: COMOB, Ravenna, RIC X 1286d, 2
14. Honorius, rev.: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Emperor stg. r., in field: R V; in exergue: COMOB, Ravenna, RIC X 1287, 4.45g
AD 394-406 (1)
15. Plated copy of Honorius, rev.: VICTOR-IA AVGGG, Emperor stg. r., in field: uncertain; in exergue: COMOB, 3.51g
AD 407-8 (1)
16. Constantine III, rev.: VICTORIA AAAVGGGG, Emperor stg. r.; in field: L D; in exergue: COM, RIC X 1505

"Easter Sunday 1976 provided a memorable experience for John D. Shepherd of the Springhead Excavation Group. Excavating within an early structure on the site he uncovered a group of five gold coins closely packed together in the clay floor. There was no surviving trace of any container possibly suggesting a small bag of cloth or leather. The coins were aurei of first century date, four bearing the head of Nero and the fifth of Titus, all minted between 58 and 75 AD"
S.R. Harker, in Kent Arch, Review, 45 (1976), 113f.
The 5 aurei, in Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, were of Nero (4: RIC 20, 43, 45, and obv. IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P P , rev. IVPPITER CVSTOS), and Titus, under Vespasian (1 , RIC 181, AD 75)
Examined, 1978 (ASR)

26 gold solidi and 4 silver siliquae to Honorius. Addenda of 1 additional solidus of Arcadius (394-5). `Fourteen late Roman gold solidi were found by Stanley Chase and Jean Carroll in March 1993 while searching with a metal detector in an arable field in the parish of Deopham, about 12 miles south–west of Norwich. The coins were found scattered over an area measuring about 30 m by 20 m. Subsequently the site was examined by Andrew Rogerson and myself and more coins were found; the total from the site now stands at 26 gold solidi and four silver siliquae. The gold pieces included one pair and another group of three coins that were adhering to each other. All the coins were found within the ploughsoil at depths ranging between 10 cm and 30 cm. In the centre of the excavation, which was itself beneath the area where the majority of the gold coins had previously been found, was a small zone measuring about 1.75 m square in which nine gold coins and two silver coins were recovered. No trace of any container was found. The hoard was declared Treasure Trove at an Inquest held at East Dereham in June 1993 and Norwich Castle Museum has acquired the whole hoard.' J A Davies, CHRB X, p. 468. = Hobbs 2006, 1497

ST 1468
"On the 17th. October last, whilst a labourer, named Jabez Long, was digging foundations for the Armstrong Pioneer Syndicate Company on the Sully Moors, near Cardiff, he turned up an old metal vessel, which he found to contain many Roman coins and jewellery. The vessel which was 4½ inches in height broke under his spade. Long was working with a mate and at the time there were two other men watching them. As soon as he struck the find, Long fell bodily upon it and at once began to fill his pockets. He took all the gold articles he believed, but one of the onlookers, a bricklayer, also in the service of the company, got possession of a gold ring.
Subsequently Long got into communication with Mr. John Storrie of 104 Frederick Street, Cardiff, the local antiquary, who gave him eighteen guineas for his treasure trove. About 20 or 30 feet from the place where the treasure was found, a human skull was unearthed."
The find was declared Treasure Trove, and sent to the BM for examination. In all, 7 aurei, 95 den., and 206 ant. were identified, together with 14 others (1 den., 13 ant.) which were reported as having belonged to the hoard:
AV Den. Ant. Den. Ant.
Marcus 1
Severus 5
Julia Domna 6
Caracalla 12 1
Geta 1
Macrinus 1
Elagabalus 20 3
Julia Paula 2
Julia Soaemias 3
Julia Maesa 2
Severus Alexander 27 1
Julia Mamaea 6
Orbiana 1
Maximinus 5
Gordian III 1 43 2
Philip I 19
Otacilia 3
Philip II 5
Trajan Decius 10
Etruscilla 1
Herennius 4
Treb. Gallus 10
Volusian 4
Valerian I 7 2
Gallienus 36 4
Salonina 15 1
Valerian II 7
Saloninus 20 1
Postumus 18 3
Diocletian 2
Maximian 5
Carausius 1
uncertain 1
7 95 206 1 13
(under Severus)
(4 under Severus)
(listed as ant.)
(joint reign)
(joint reign)
(joint reign)
(joint reign)
(6 are of Saloninus)
(16 are of Valerian II)
(Valerian II)
(RSR)
2 of the ant. of Trajan Decius were overstruck on den. of Geta and Maximinus. 1 of the gold coins of Diocletian was a double aureus. The no. of extra coins reported as having belonged to the hoard was given as 15, but only 14 were listed.
The 4 gold rings were:
"1. Gold ring with angular-shaped hoop of foliate design, narrowest at the back and expanding at the shoulders; the bezel octagonal and set with an unengraved nicolo. Diam., 1.04 in. L. of bez., .58 in.
2. Gold ring of similar shape, the hoop plain at the back; the bezel, an oval raised setting with scalloped border, containing an onyx cameo representing a female head, Medusa (?) facing, of somewhat coarse workmanship. Diam., .92 in. L. of bez., .52 in.
3. Gold ring of similar form, the back of the hoop plain and engraved with two parallel lines, the shoulders pierced. The bezel is a raised setting, now of irregular outline, from which the stone is lost. Diam., 1.0 in. L. of bez., .58 in.
4. Gold ring with angular hoop and shoulders moulded in bold relief. The bezel is rectangular and engraved in intaglio with a cock to 1. Diam., 1.0 in. L. of bez., .34 in."
–H.A. Grueber, in NC, 1900, 27-65, types, mints. pl. III of 7 gold coins, 1 den. of Carausius, and 3 gold rings
–4 gold rings in Dept. of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities, BM (BM Register of Ant., Nov. 1900)
5 of the gold coins (Diocletian 1; Maximian 4), 1 den. of Carausius, and 5 ant. (Caracalla 1; Gordian III 1; Philip 1; Herennius 2) in Dept. of Coins and Medals, BM (BM Register of Coin Accessions, Nov. 1900)
Examined, 1978 (ASR)
297 coins in NMW, Cardiff
Examined, 1947 (ASR)
G.C. Boon, in Coins and the Archaeologist, BAR 4 (1974), 155 and pl. I, 5, discussed and illustrated the overstrike of an ant. of Trajan Decius on a den. of Maximinus; cp. G.C. Boon, in Coins and the Archaeologist (1988), 164, n. 135.
M. Henig, Corpus of Roman Engraved Gemstones from British Sites, BAR 8 (1974), ii, 95, no. 729; 101, no. 781; and pls. XXII, XLVI, described and illustrated two of the gold rings, i.e., nos. 2 and 4 above. J.P.C. Kent and K.S. Painter, Wealth of the Roman World (1977), 59, nos. 123-6 and fig. 125, described the four rings, and illustrated one, i.e. no. 2 above.

"The hoard of late Roman gold solidi was found on 7th October 1990 by a man using a metal detector at Butterfield Down, Amesbury (Grid reference SU 16 41), and the coins were declared Treasure Trove at an Inquest held on 7th December 1990.
Excavation and observation at the site have revealed part of an extensive undefended Romano-British settlement. The site covers at least 6 hectares (15 acres) and geophysical techniques indicate that it may be much larger. It is laid out on a fairly organised plan with post-built fences dividing the site up into sub-rectangular units. Most of the ceramic material is from the 3rd or 4th centuries, although there is some slightly earlier material. The large number of storage pits, ovens and driers suggest an economy dominated by grain production and storage. Finds from the site include over a thousand coins.
Some of the solidi were found in fragments of a small beaker and I am grateful to Val Rigby for providing the following description and drawing. There are six sherds which join to form an almost complete necked globular beaker (Fig. 1); the fracture edges are clean and fresh, indicating that the vessel was broken recently. The fabric is orange with a grey core and a matt brown slip. It is a product of the New Forest potteries in Hampshire, and can be classified as Fulford type 30.12. The basic form is considered to have been introduced around AD 300, with production continuing into the sixth century, so that the Boscombe Down hoard provides valuable evidence that this particular small, plain variant was among the latest colour-coated products of the New Forest industry..
Gratian 1
Valentinian II 2
Honorius 4
Arcadius 1
A. Burnett, in CHRB IX (1992), 359f., types. mints, wts.
8 solidi in Dept. of Coins and Medals, BM